Before the Rumble
by Maxy Ride
Summary: What before the rumble...told through the eyes of almost every character. Has a different ending from the movie.
1. They're Going Down

It was a breezy night in West Side NYC. It was also late...most people were either sleeping or partying in bars. The streets were deserted, except for one. Right outside old and dull Doc's Candy Store sat a boy. An angry boy. His name was Riff, and he had just been shouted at by the unibrowed Luetenant Schrank...for the millionth time. Of course, he couldn't have a simple war council with the Puerto Rican boy Bernardo without that dumb officer shoving his badge in their faces and calling them hoodlums. Riff had told his fellow gang members to go home and prepare for the rumble the next night. He sat on the stairs outside the store's entrance with his chin on his hands, and sighed. It was dark and lonely, but he just didn't want to go home.

Just then two arms snaked around his shoulders, and a warm face pressed against his curly hair. As the person sat down next to him, he could see a flash of orange fabric out of the corner of his eye.

"Graziella, I thought you'd split when the Sharks showed up." he said to his girlfriend.

Her lips curled into a cocky grin. "You never said where to split to. So I and Velma waited in the playground til them PRs had left."

Riff shifted one corner of his mouth into a small grin. "What about Velma?"  
"She said she'd find Ice and take him back to her place. But I didn't see him." she said with an I-don't-really-care tone in her voice.

"That's 'cuz they probably didn't want to be seen." Riff replied, and winked. She gave him her melodic laugh and nestled her head against his neck.

"So you're rumble'n tomorrow night?" she murmered, lifting her eyes to look at his handsome face.

"Yea. We're settling this once and for all."  
"What kind of rumbling, huh?"  
"Well, Tony asked us to have a fair fight. But we're takin some weapons just in case they wanna play rough."

Graziella mocked an angry cat meow. "Sounds so frightening. What would they use? Garbage? Cereal boxes?" she asked sarcastically.

"No. Sounds like them boys are bringin' guns...bats...belts...the whole kaboodle."  
Graziella lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "You be careful, ya hear?" she asked sternly.

"Chill, babe. I have Ice to fight Bernardo. We ain't gonna have any struggle." Riff replied reassuringly.

Graziella's worried gaze turned into a look of relief. She pressed her lips to his cheek, then parted and whispered in his ear, "They're going down."


	2. I'm Worried about You

Ice wasn't the happiest guy around, either. He slumped down onto a bench in the park and kicked at some dead leaves that scattered the ground. He wanted to rumble tomorrow night, he wanted to let the Sharks know that they didn't belong...but he didn't want to fist-fight Bernardo. Sure, Ice was tall, buff, and had a mean glare. But Bernardo was just as tough. Either opponent could be easily beaten. He rapped his forehead with his knuckles and sighed in exasperation.

"Ice. I've been searchin for ya."

That sweet, dark voice broke the silence. Ice opened his hands and lowered them from his face, only to be greeted by the face of his girlfriend, Velma, right near his. She touched his nose with her's, then sat next to him on the bench.

"You ain't talkin, babe. Did something go wrong at the war council?" she asked, rubbing his shoulder reassuringly.

Ice shook his head, trying to 'play it cool.' "It's gonna be a fair fight...Tony suggested it and Bernardo n' Riff agreed to it. I fight Bernardo tomorrow night..after dark...under the highway."  
Velma pushed her bouncy blonde hair behind her ears and patted her boyfriend on the back. "It's a fair fight...it ain't gonna be as rough!"  
"Yeah, but you can't rumble without getting rough n' tough."

"If you get rough n' tough, someone could get hurt!" Velma insisted, nudging him gently. "You know I'm right."

Ice looked at her with a cold stare. Her eyes were sad and dissapointed, but also sparked with persistence and rage. He gulped. He could tell that all she saw in his eyes was revengeful hate. Velma turned her head and smoothed down the folds of her bell-shaped skirt. Ice tugged at his tie a bit to give him some air, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I won't do them no harm. Promise." He announced as gently as possible.

Velma lifted her face to look at his. "You swear it?" she playfully pushed his head. "I don't know if I should be trustin' a gangster."

Ice raised an eyebrow. "You definitely trust me...you've started using lingo like us Jets." He put a finger to the dimple near his mouth and batted his eyelashes. "Obeleeoooo!" he squeaked in his highest mocking-Velma voice. She gave him a silent gasp--something she did quite often--and then thrust a finger out and puffed her cheeks as if she were going to vomit and said in a low, gruff voice, "Cool it, boy! Stay cool!"

They looked at each other and burst out laughing, but muffled their laughter in passionate kisses.

Velma let out a little noise to get Ice's attention, and he broke the kiss. Velma stroked his face, and said quietly, "Make sure the rest of them are safe, too. Riff and Action and Baby John and A-Rab, and---well, you know. ALL of 'em."

Ice gave her a half-shrug of assurance. "Stop ya worryin', chickadee. We'll all live. Now, I believe we have some unfinished buisiness to complete."  
And their lips met once again. She hesitated, then slowly opened her mouth and gave him one hell of a kiss. Instead of breaking the kiss this time, Ice lept back in shock.

"Gee, you sure can kiss a fella!" he laughed.

Velma grinned in a perky manner, then they both stood up, wrapped their arms around one another (Ice's arm on Velma's waist, Velma's arm around Ice's back,), and walked back to her place.


	3. 2 Weeks Earlier 1st Flashback

**TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE RUMBLE**

**----------------------------------------------------------**

Action checked his surroundings to make sure none of his classmates--or Mr. Dawtron--were watching him. He grabbed his lab partner's frog, which was yet to be dissected...his lab partner didn't notice, for he was too busy staring dreamily at Graziella. Grinning, Action slipped the dead frog into Mimi Flats's handbag while she was talking to her lab partner. He folded his hands on the dissecting table, and pretended that nothing happened. He realized that Baby John had been watching him the whole time. He gave Action a satisfied grin when Mimi opened her handbag and rummaged for her compact mirror. Her eye twitched, and she lifted the dead frog from her purse and shrieked like a banshee, then threw the frog into the air. It landed right on Mr. Dawtron's bald head. The girls gave one another looks of disgust, while the boys--most of them being Jets--broke out into laughter. Mr. Dawtron looked at them all like a cheetah would look at a gazelle, then shook his head and threw the frog into the wastebin. Then the guffawing was interrupted by the loud bell signaling lunch. Everyone dashed out of the room. Mimi ran into the girls' bathroom shaking her hands spasmodically.

At lunch, the Jets took their normal seats--under the bleachers by the track course. They all pulled canteens out of their pockets--obviouslly, the canteens were filled with alchahol. Graziella, Velma and Minnie were perched next to their boyfriends, chatting away.

Ice gave Action a hard slap on the back. "Nice goin' there, boy! He didn't even know it was you."  
"Or he would've erupted like Mt. St. Helen's!" Mouthpiece laughed.

"That little brat got what she's been deservin'!" Velma giggled, wiping a blade of grass off her skirt.

"There's someone else in that class that needs to be tormented." Graziella muttered. Riff turned his attention from his hamburger to her. "Who?" he inquired.

"That Kenneth kid. He keeps droolin' over me and eye-buggin' me." Graziella huffed, twirling her fork between her fingers.

"Ya mean the nerd with the Elvis 'do?" Snowboy asked. Action scoffed. "He's my lab partner. Kenny-boy's the only reason I ain't failin that class."

"Well, he don't know who he's messing with." Riff growled, balling his hands into fists.

"Riff. Cool it. You've got no time to deal with nerds, since you and the Sharks won't stop fighting."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice. It was Tony. He sat down with the rest of the gang.

"What're you doing here? You don't belong no more!" Action cried.

"Easy." Ice said warningly.

"He's my best bud, and you guys know it. Womb to tomb?" Riff said, thrusting his hand out to Tony, who shook it and replied, "Sperm to worm!"

"Hey, speaking of the PRs, look over there." A-Rab muttered, pointing out towards the courtyard. A short, thin Puerto Rican girl was leaning against the fence that surrounded the school, with a dizzy smile on her face. She had beautiful eyes and raven hair, and was wearing a slimming polka-dot dress.

"Isn't that Bernardo's sister?" Minnie asked, eyeing her dress distastefully.

"Sure is. What's her name again?" Ice replied.

"It's Maria, I think." Graziella quipped. Tony was about to look at Maria, when Chino ran around the corner and beckoned her towards him. She ran over, they kissed briefly, then went back inside the cafeteria.

"I didn't...get to see her." Tony said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Ya ain't missin much, Tony. Ugh, did you see her dress? How wretched." Graziella exclaimed.

"She looked like Glinda with that perky smile." Velma agreed.

"And that dress reminds me of good ol' Granny." Baby John chimed in.

"Hey! Boys, boys, just because she's a PR doesn't mean you have to insult her...fashion." Ice said defensively.

The girls looked at each other and scoffed. "Poo. She oughta be jealous." Graziella said, flipping her scarlett hair.

The bell rang. Lunch was over, and the gang split up to go to their next class. Riff and Tony went to Literature, Ice, Action and Baby John headed to the gym, and the girls all went to art class.

**----------------------------------------------------------**

Maria knew that the American kids under the bleachers were looking at her. In a bad way. They loathed her...pure hatred. _If I were American, and if I weren't Nardo's sister, I bet they'd feel much different about me. Lousy Jets and their girlfriends. _She thought with a sigh. Although, despite the feeling of depression in her gut, Maria was happy. For she was in the best place at school...English class. Being Puerto Rican, and since she had only moved to New York City a week ago, Maria spoke fluent Spanish, but not much English.

"Buenas tardes, los estudiantes. Presumo que ustedes tuvieron un almuerzo de pleasent." The teacher said.

"Sí." the students replied.

Maria tried to remember the faces of the Jets. There was the leader...buff and inquiring...then that Ice boy, with his brooding, angry stare...the redheaded girl that always walked like a model...and there was one boy that she didn't quite catch a glimpse of. She knew he had jet-black hair and a kind smile, but she didn't get to absorb his looks. She half-shrugged, and rested her chin on her hands and waited for school to end.


	4. 2 Weeks Earlier 2nd Flashback

Maria walked into Madame Lucia's Bridal Shop and set her books down on her desk. They landed with a thud, which attracted Anita's attention. She looked up from the blue bridesmaids gown she was sewing and smiled. "Buenas tardes, Maria!" she said.

"Why are you here so early, Anita?" Maria asked.

"I skipped school."  
"Anita! That is not like you!" Maria exclaimed.

"Maria, you are younger than me. In two years you will understand why we cut class someimtes." Anita said placidly.

"...You and Nardo?" Maria asked.

Anita nodded with a smile. "He wanted to take me to Times Square."  
Maria was in shock. "How did he afford that?"  
"Bus fare is not that expensive, Maria. And it is so beautiful! So lit up and noisy and there's music and food and Broadway!" Anita sighed.

"You are very lucky to have a boy like that." Maria said wistfully.

"You have a boy like that, too! Chino." Anita replied, running the dress through the sewing machine.

"Chino? I hardly even know the boy, and yet Nardo wishes for me to wed him."

"Because he would protect you, keep you safe from those Jet boys."

"Anita, you and Nardo don't understand! I don't need to be protected. By a boy, by a gang," she placed her hand on Anita's shoulder, "by my best friend."  
Anita sighed and gazed at Maria. "I suppose you're right. But swear to me you will keep away from those Americans. They're not to be trusted."  
Maria nodded. "Si, querida." then she went to her table and started her latest project: a frilly wedding dress with a pink bodice and white hoop skirt.

Half an hour later, Maria heard the shop's front door open, and Anita cry out "Nardo! What happened?"

Maria rushed to Anita's side, only to see Bernardo leaning on the counter, with a large black slab of meat over one eye. No, wait...that WAS his eye.

"That Jet boy---gave me _this_!" Bernardo grunted, pointing at his eye.

"Which one?" Anita asked angrily, clenching her fists.

"The blonde kid. The shy one. I was ganging up on their leader and he just--POW." Bernardo replied in his oily Spanish accent. Anita spun on Maria and her eyes sparked, but her voice was somewhat calm, even motherly, as she said "See what I meant? These boys are hoodlums. They think they own every nook and cranny in West Side New York."  
"But they don't." Maria and Anita both said this in unison, only Maria's voice was quiet and shaky. Nardo groaned in pain, and Maria grabbed his arm. "Come on, let's get that black eye patched up." She lead him into the washroom and turned on the cold water in the sink. Bernardo let the water run over his eye and get any dirt or sweat out of it. Then Maria gently dried it off and put a large adhesive strip over it. Bernardo kissed her forehead. "Get back to your sewing--it's a living."  
Maria nodded and, once again, went back to making her dress.

After supper, Maria returned to her little apartment. She slipped off her dress, leaving only the thin white dressing gown she always wore under her clothes. She knelt down before her statue of Santa Maria, said her prayers, and climbed into bed. Outside, she could hear giddy laughter and intoxicated wooping.

_Filthy Jet boys. _Maria cursed them in her mind, then lowered herself beneath the covers and drifted off to sleep.


	5. 2 Weeks Earlier 3rd Flashback

Baby John was full of regret and victory. He sat, hidden in Doc's Candy Store, gaping at his hands. He curled them into fists, then slowly uncurled them. He could hardly believe that _he, _the shyest Jet, gave the leader of the Sharks a black eye. Of course, Baby John knew that his fellow gang members were proud of him. But he wasn't proud of himself. He could hear a melodic giggling, and knew the girls had probably snuck some rum into their colas. Riff was oddly quiet, leaning casually against the cash register, flipping a cigarette back and forth between his fingers. Ice was always quiet around Velma...he was her boyfriend, yet he still felt nervous around her. Velma was incredibly wealthy, yet insisted to her dad that she wanted to live in West Side NYC instead of in Brooklyn or Times Square. She was laughing like a parrot, her arm slung around Ice's waist. Graziella, however, looked bored. Then she turned and whispered something in Riff's ear. His face brightened a tad, and he nodded at whatever she had said. Then, the two of them snuck out downstairs without any of the Jets noticing. All except for Baby John. He looked at his scuffed shoes and sighed. He wanted a girlfriend, too.

Tony came trotting upstairs, his hair ruffled and his skin sweaty.

"Another hard day at work, buddy boy?" Ice asked, motioning to his empty glass. Tony gave him an exhausted grin, and said as he refilled the glass: "At least I earn a living..._legally._"  
The boys had no remark to that. Because they knew it was true.

"Come on, round out. It's closing time."

Action tossed the last dart at the dartboard, and glared at Tony. "Why do _you _insist we go home? I can see Doc sayin' this, but not you!"  
Tony rolled his eyes. "You say this every night, Action." he jerked his head to the door. "Scat. All of youse."  
Velma kept her arm around Ice's waist, and they left first, then Snowboy, Action, Anybodys (who had clearly been hiding the whole time), and the rest of the Jets. Once they were outside, Ice looked around, then quipped, "Where's Riff?"

Baby John rushed back inside. Tony glared at him. "What'd I just tell y'all, Baby John?" he asked.

Baby John ignored him, and ran downstairs. Then he wished that he had minded his own beesewax.

There was Riff, leaning against a wall, his track jacket slipping down his arms. His stubby curls were misplaced and unruly. And, leaning smack-dab right against him, was Graziella. Her red locks looked a bit more tangled then they normally did, and one foot was raised slightly in the air. She giggled every time their lips parted.

Baby John cleared his throat. Graziella sprung back from Riff's body, and Riff looked at Baby John in embarassment. Graziella cocked one hip in the air and put her hand on it, scowling at Baby John. She reached for Riff, and snatched the collar of his jacket and led him upstairs. Riff turned to Baby John and stuck out his tongue.

"And they called ME the baby." Baby John muttered under his breath.


	6. 1 Week Eariler 1st Flashback

A week had passed, and still, the Jets and Sharks continued to argue and fight. They were persistent...so persistent, some would find it _very obnoxious. _Maria grew lonlier by the day, going to school, sewing dresses, then lying bed, awake, wishing for someone to dream about. Anita grew more concerned about Bernardo--it was almost as if his parents really didn't give a damn that he was always getting into a ruckus. Meanwhile, things were getting a little strange around Graziella. Every time she went into Doc's Candy Store, she couldn't stop herself from following Tony with her eyes at every chance she got. She loved Riff--as a boyfriend, and as a brotherly figure--but what was this feeling she was getting for Tony?

Day after day, things only got from better to worse. Obviously, the boys had no idea of the trouble they were getting themselves into. They didn't realize that their greed and dominance was shutting out the love and devotion that others around them gave them.

-----------------------

Tony's mother stormed the kitchen, muttering under her breath. Tony came in and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's buggin' you, Ma?"  
"That Riff. We gave to boy a cerfew, and he stays out two hours later than we told him! It's nearly midnight. Sure, he's not our son. Sure, he's a grown boy. But he could be doin' anything right now. Pranks, fights, wild goose chases."

Tony sighed. "You know Riff, Ma. He's had a troubled childhood. His parents never showed him any caring, no respect, no nothin'. Of course he's a bit messed up."  
His mother nodded slowly. "You're right, Anton. But he's still gonna be in some deep trouble if he does this again!"

-----------------------

Riff smiled at his baby. He caressed it and observed it's beauty with adoring eyes. Shivers went down his spine as he gripped the trigger and pointed it at a wall, pretending to shoot it. _I haven't used this bad boy for months. I didn't need to after we beat up the Emeralds. But then those stinkin' Sharks came around. I say they should swim back to Puerto Rico...and DROWN on the way there!_

He twirled his gun and shoved it into his belt loop. Then, something jolted in his heart...his concience. Deep down, Riff felt ashamed. Ashamed for being so segregational...so discriminative. But then his greed and hatred blocked out the guilt. It was wrong...but it felt so right.

"Riff!"  
_Damnit. _Riff thought as he turned his head. Standing in the front door of Doc's Candy Store was Graziella. Her eyes narrowed, and she stomped over and raised a hand. Riff half expected her to smack his face, but instead she pointed at his gun in utter dismay.

"You told me you'd never use that--that THING--again! You told me you'd thrown it into the river, and it was gone for good!" Graziella shouted.

"I did get rid of that gun. This is a new baby. I ain't just gonna go around shootin' people...it's for self-protection."  
"From what? Hobos?"

"No. From them Sharks. Just in case they wanna fight."  
Graziella sighed angrily. "You can't get your way with weapons! Be a man and talk things out!"  
Riff shook his head. "I'm sorry, but they ain't men. They're too coward to talk."  
"Yeah, it's always their fault, never you white boys."

Riff was getting agitated, but then noticed tears welling up in Graziella's eyes. He slowly opened his arms, and she ran into them. "I love you, hun. You can take my word when I say I won't use this gun unless my life depends on it."  
"Promise?"  
"Promise."

-----------------------

Anita pulled the blinds down over the store display windows, and turned the 'open' sign to 'closed.' She let out a sigh of relief. Finally...closing time. Her, Maria, Consuelo, and Rosalia all crossed the street and returned to their apartments. The four girls all bid each other goodnight, but just as Anita was about to go into her room, she heard the front door open. Looking downstairs, she saw Bernardo and his gang enter. He looked up and saw her, mumbled something to his boys, then ran upstairs and swept her up into a friendly smooch. She smiled at him and hugged his waist...then felt the cold sting of metal against her wrist. She looked down, and there, sitting in his belt loop, was his own little gun.

Her jaw dropped. "What---you---is this--?"  
Bernardo nodded.

Anita reeled back, as if he were infested with a contagious disease. "How could you bring a gun into my sight? You know I don't like this war between you and the Americans! And now, you make it worse and buy a gun? I swear, Nardo, if you put a bullet through ANYONE..."

"Stop your worrying, chica. This is for serious matters. If any of them Jet boys shoot one of my men, of course, one of us is gonna do it back." Bernardo replied.

Anita shook her head. "I--I love you. I don't want you or anyone else to get hurt...or killed."  
Bernardo held her close, stroking her hair. "I promise you, no one will."


End file.
